John Anthony Copeland Jr. | |
|---|---|
 John Copeland in 1859, drawing from a newspaper, likely made during his trial | |
| Born | 1834 Raleigh, North Carolina, United States |
| Died | December 16, 1859 (aged 24–25) |
| Cause of death | Hanging |
| Education | Oberlin Collegiate Institute (preparatory division) |
| Known for | Oberlin-Wellington Rescue Raid on Harpers Ferry |
John Anthony Copeland Jr. (August 15, 1834 – December 16, 1859) was born free in Raleigh, North Carolina, one of the eight children born to John Copeland Sr. and his wife Delilah Evans, free mulattos, who married in Raleigh in 1831. Delilah was born free, while John was manumitted in the will of his master.[1] In 1843 the family moved north, to the abolitionist center of Oberlin, Ohio, where he later attended Oberlin College's preparatory (high school) division. He was a highly visible leader in the successful Oberlin-Wellington Rescue of 1858, for which he was indicted but not tried.[2] Copeland joined John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry; other than Brown himself, he was the only member of John Brown's raiders that was at all well known.[2]: 1794 He was captured, and a marshal from Ohio came to Charles Town to serve him with the indictment. He was indicted a second time, for murder and conspiracy to incite slaves to rebellion. He was found guilty and was hanged on December 16, 1859. There were 1,600 spectators.[3] His family tried but failed to recover his body, which was taken by medical students for dissection, and the bones discarded.
- ^ Howard, Joshua (2011). "Tar Heels at Harper's Ferry, October 16-18, 1859: Lewis S. Leary". NCpedia.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Executionwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "The executions at Charlestown [sic]". Pittsburgh Post. December 17, 1859. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2020-10-16. Retrieved 2020-10-16.